Doll Joint

ABSTRACT

A joint for fixing movable elements to a doll&#39;s torso or for interconnecting individual elements, especially a doll&#39;s arm sections and/or leg sections. A rotating element is rotatably inserted into the doll&#39;s torso and/or into one element and/or into another element while a final area (5,500) of said element or an element that is inserted thereinto is rotatably connected to said rotating element.

The invention relates to a joint for securing movable elements to adoll's body or for connecting individual elements, in particular doll'sarm parts and/or doll's leg parts, to one another.

PRIOR ART

Dolls of many shapes and designs are known. The present document isconcerned primarily with extremely high-quality dolls which areextremely valuable not only because of their design, but also because ofthe material used. These dolls are intended to be as lifelike aspossible, some of them being of a size corresponding to actual lifesize. Each type of doll is manufactured only in a small number and is inmost cases made of a special plastic imitating the body, for example avinyl. They are cast in special molds. To connect the individual movableelements, such as the head, arms and legs, joints are known, such as theones that are described in DE 40 37 962 or DE 296 02 347.

DE 40 37 962 describes a connecting piece composed of a textile materialwhich is filled with filler. Although this allows each limb of a doll tobe brought into a lifelike position, this position cannot be maintainedwithout assistance.

DE 296 02 347 discloses a joint which brings the movable elements of thedoll permanently into a desired position. As before, however, the dolldoes not have a lifelike appearance, on the one hand because the jointis covered by a textile sleeve. On the other hand, the lifelike effectof the doll is compromised by the fact that, when the doll is taken holdof at the joint, an impression is formed in the textile sleeve, sincethe latter is not designed to be shape-stable, but instead serves onlyfor covering the joint.

Moreover, it has hitherto not been possible to move or rotate individualparts, for example of a doll's arm or of a doll's leg.

Object

Therefore, the object of the present invention is, on the one hand, tobring the movable elements of the doll permanently into a desiredposition that is as lifelike as possible, and, on the other hand, toensure a lifelike effect when the doll is taken hold of. In addition,individual parts of the doll's arm or of the doll's leg should be ableto be moved. Moreover, the useful life of the joints and their abilityto withstand stresses are also to be improved, and assembly is to bemade simpler. Manufacturing costs are also to be reduced.

Solution

The object is achieved by the fact that a rotary element is insertedrotatably in the doll's body and/or in the element and/or in the elementand is connected rotatably to an end area of the element or to anelement fitted therein.

The rotary element and the respective end area of the doll's arm part ordoll's leg part and the additional element inserted into the doll's armpart or doll's leg part are in this case designed in such a way that, inthe position of use, they form a kind of ball, as is also present in thehuman body. This permits a better positioning of the movable elements,similarly to the human body. Moreover, because of this design, the dollalso acts in a lifelike manner when taken hold of, since the user'sfingers do not press into the textile sleeve in this area of the doll,as was hitherto the case, and come up against the joint made from metalor the like.

In the position of use, the joint is composed of a rotary element and ofthe spherical end area of the doll's arm part or doll's leg part or ofthe rotary element and the spherical element, in which case the rotaryelement is inserted into a slit of the spherical end area or of thespherical element, and the respective elements are connected to oneanother by a securing means, preferably in the form of a conventionalscrew and a nut. Other kinds of securing means are conceivable and areintended to be covered by the present invention. It is likewiseconceivable to use not just one securing means, but several and/ordifferent securing means. This possibility too is intended to be coveredby the present invention.

The rotary element is preferably shaped in particular as a disk and thusfits into the slit provided for it in the spherical end area of thedoll's arm part or doll's leg part or of the spherical element.Moreover, the diameter of the rotary element preferably correspondsapproximately to the diameter of the spherical end area or of thespherical element, so that no transitions are present here between therotary element and the spherical end area of the doll's arm part ordoll's leg part or of the spherical element, and instead the respectiveelements lie in approximately a common plane and rest flush on oneanother.

However, it is possible, for example, to make the diameter of the rotaryelement smaller than the diameter of the spherical end area of thedoll's arm part or doll's leg part or of the spherical element. It isalso conceivable for the rotary element, and thus also the slit providedfor it in the spherical end area of the doll's arm part or doll's legpart or of the spherical element, to be configured in any otherconceivable form. The various possible ways of designing the rotaryelement and the spherical end area of the doll's arm part or doll's legpart and the spherical element are intended to be covered by the presentinvention, however.

The rotary element is moreover assigned a holding element which isinserted into a correspondingly shaped recess in the doll's body or inthe doll's arm part or doll's leg part. A constriction in the recessengages behind the holding element and secures the latter, and thus alsothe rotary element, in the recess, as a result of which it is possibleto prevent the whole joint connection from slipping out.

The spherical element is also assigned a holding element which isinserted into a recess provided for it in the doll's arm part or doll'sleg part and is secured there by means of a constriction. Release of thespherical element from its connection to the doll's arm part or doll'sleg part is thus avoided.

Other possible ways of securing the holding element in the doll's bodyor in the doll's arm part or doll's leg part are conceivable and areintended to be covered by the present invention too.

The rotary element and the holding element are preferably designed inone piece, in which case both the rotary element and the holding elementare arranged rotatably in the recess and in the doll's body. However, itis also possible for the holding element and the rotary element to beproduced in two pieces, in which case the holding element is insertedfixedly into the recess and only the rotary element is connectedrotatably to it. The connection between the holding element and therotary element can be any desired conceivable connection. It isimportant, simply, that the rotary element is able to rotate relative tothe holding element.

The spherical element and the associated holding element are alsopreferably made in one piece, in which case the spherical element andalso the holding element are arranged rotatably in the recess or in thedoll's arm part or doll's leg part. However, the possibility of atwo-piece design of the spherical element and of the holding element isintended to be covered by the present invention.

At least the visible parts of the joint, the rotary element and thespherical end area of the doll's arm part or doll's leg part and of thespherical element are made from the same material as the rest of thedoll's body, so that the doll's body also looks almost lifelike withoutclothes and as such can be taken hold of or can be displayed. Of course,it is nevertheless possible to produce the rotary element and thespherical end area of the doll's body from other materials.

The joint serves, on the one hand, for connecting and securing thedoll's arms to an upper part of the doll's body. However, it is alsoconceivable to use a connection of this kind for the doll's legs orother parts of the doll's body and also for a head, so that in this caseit would be possible not only for the head to turn, but also for it tonod. These possibilities concerning the design and application of thejoint are intended to be covered by the present invention.

Moreover, the joint is used for connecting individual parts of thedoll's arms or doll's legs to one another. It is also conceivable,however, to use such a connection for the whole of the doll's body. Inthis way, it would be possible to bend the doll or to turn the doll'supper body. In this respect too, no limits are placed on the invention.

With the present joint, it is possible, for example, to turn a doll'sarms or doll's legs in any imaginable direction, without the doll losingany of its lifelike quality when looked at or when taken hold of.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Further advantages, features and details will become evident from thedescription of the following illustrative embodiments and by referenceto the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic front view of an upper region of a doll's body,with doll's arm parts connected via joints;

FIG. 2 a shows a simplified exploded view of the individual elementsforming the respective joints;

FIG. 2 b shows the exploded view according to FIG. 2 a, with some of theelements turned through 90°;

FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal section through the joint inserted into thedoll's body, and the joint between two doll's arm parts in accordancewith one illustrative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a longitudinal section through a further illustrativeembodiment of the joints according to FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the joints according to FIGS. 3 and 4;

FIG. 6 shows the plan view of the joints in FIG. 5 when turned through90°;

FIG. 7 shows a schematic side view of a doll's leg with a knee joint asa further illustrative embodiment of a joint according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 8 shows a rear view of the doll's leg with the knee joint accordingto FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 a shows a simplified exploded view of the individual elementsforming the knee joint;

FIG. 9 b shows the exploded view according to FIG. 9 a, with some of theelements turned through 90°;

FIG. 10 shows a longitudinal section through the knee joint according toone illustrative embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 11 shows a longitudinal section through a further illustrativeembodiment of the knee joint according to FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 depicts the upper region of a doll's body 1 to which a doll's armpart 3.1 or 3.2 is secured via a respective joint 2. At the other end, afurther doll's arm part 3.3 is secured on the doll's arm part 3.1 via afurther joint 20.

The joints 2 and 20 are composed, as shown in FIGS. 2 a and 2 b, of arotary element 4, 40, preferably in the form of a disk, and of aspherical end area 5 of the doll's arm part 3.1 itself or a sphericalelement 50. A diameter d₁, d₃ of the rotary element 4, 40, respectively,corresponds to a diameter d₂, d₄ of the spherical end area 5 of thedoll's arm part 3.1 and the spherical element 50, so that outer faces 6,7 of the rotary element 4 and of the spherical end area 5 or outer faces41, 51 of the rotary element 40 or of the spherical end 50 lie almost inone plane in the position of use and rest flush on one another.

The rotary element 4, 40 is also assigned a holding element 8, 42,respectively, which is assigned a guide 9, 43, respectively, which inturn is concavely shaped in order to be able to guide a part of thespherical end area 5 of the doll's arm part 3.1 or the spherical element50.

The spherical element 50 is also assigned a holding element 52, which isassigned a guide 53. However, the guide 53 is in this case onlypartially concave, in order to guide a part of the outer face 41 of therotary element 40 in the position of use. Both the holding element 52and the guide 53 are preferably formed in one piece with the sphericalelement 50, as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

As is shown in FIG. 3, the holding element 8, 42 and the guide 9, 43 arepreferably formed in one piece with the rotary element 4, 40,respectively. However, as is shown in FIG. 4, they can also be connectedvia a connection element 10, 44 to the rotary element 4, 40,respectively, and can thus be formed in two pieces. The rotary element4, 40 is preferably rotatable in a free and endless manner.

In the position of use, the holding element 8, 42, 52 and the guide 9,43, 53 are inserted into a correspondingly shaped recess 11, 45, 55,respectively, in the doll's body 1, in the doll's arm part 3.3 and thedoll's arm part 3.1, and a constriction 12, 46, 56 of the recess 11, 45,55 engages behind the holding element 8, 42, 52 and secures this in therecess 11, 45, 55, respectively.

In the illustrative embodiment according to FIG. 3, the recess 11, 45,55 and the constriction 12, 46, 56 lie around the holding element 8, 42,52, respectively, in such a way that a rotation of the holding element8, 42, 52 is still possible in the recess 11, 45, 55, respectively.

In the illustrative embodiment according to FIG. 4, the recess 11, 45and the constriction 12, 46 are injected solidly around the holdingelement 8, 42, respectively, so that a rotation of the holding element8, 42 is no longer possible. Only the rotary element 4, 40 is stillrotatable via the connection element 10, 44, respectively.

For assembling the joint 2, 20, the rotary element 4, 40, respectively,is inserted into a correspondingly shaped slit 13, 54, respectively, ofthe spherical end area 5 of the doll's arm part 3.1 and of the sphericalelement 50. The concave part of the guide 9, 43 rests on a part of theouter face 7, 51, respectively, of the spherical end area 5 of thedoll's arm part 3.1 and of the spherical element 50. At the same time,the concave part of the guide 53 rests on the outer face 41 of therotary element 40.

Both respective elements are secured to one another by a securing means14, 21, which is preferably a screw with an associated nut. For thispurpose, bores 15.1, 15.2 and 15.3, 15.4 for receiving the screw 14, 21with nut are provided both in the spherical end area 5 of the doll's armpart 3.1 and of the spherical element 50 and also in the rotary element4, 40.

The way in which the present illustrative embodiment functions is asfollows:

After insertion of the rotary element 4 and the holding element 8 intothe recess 11 in the doll's body 1, the spherical end area 5 of thedoll's arm part 3.1 is pushed onto the rotary element 4, so that therotary element 4 can move into the slit 13 provided for it in thespherical end area 5. The screw 14 is then introduced into the bores15.1 and 15.2 provided for it in the rotary element 4 and spherical endarea 5 of the doll's arm 3. The nut is introduced from the other sideand comes into engagement with the screw 14. The doll's arm part 3.1 orits spherical end area 5 is thus connected fixedly to the rotary element4, which is in turn secured by means of the holding element 8 in thedoll's body 1.

The spherical element 50 and the holding element 52 are then insertedinto the recess 55 of the doll's arm part 3.1. The rotary element 40 andholding element 42 are also inserted into the recess 45 of the doll'sarm part 3.3. After insertion of both elements into the recessesprovided for this purpose, the spherical element 50 is pushed onto therotary element 40, so that the rotary element 40 can move into the slit54 provided for it in the spherical element 50.

The screw 21 is then introduced into the bores 15.3 and 15.4 providedfor it in the rotary element 40 and spherical element 50. The nut isintroduced from the other side and comes into engagement with the screw21. The spherical element 50, and with it the doll's arm part 3.1, isthus connected fixedly to the rotary element 40 and consequently to thedoll's arm part 3.3.

The illustrative embodiment of the joint 2 permits movement of thedoll's arm parts 3.1 in a wide variety of directions. For example, as isshown in FIG. 5, the doll's arm part 3.1 can be moved or pivoted up ordown in the direction of the arrows 16 and 17, corresponding to arotation of the doll's arm part 3.1 about an axis C in FIG. 6. However,it can also be moved at the same time about an axis A.

Moreover, the joint 20 permits a movement of the doll's arm part 3.3 ina wide variety of directions. For example, as is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6,the doll's arm part 3.3 can be moved or pivoted up or down in thedirection of the arrows 22 and 23, corresponding to a rotation of thedoll's arm part 3.3 about an axis B in FIG. 6. Moreover, the doll's armpart 3.3 can be rotated either with the joint 20 about an axis D, orwithout the joint 20 about an axis E.

A further illustrative embodiment of a joint is shown in FIGS. 7 through11. Here, a joint 200 is used for rotatable and pivotable connection oftwo doll's leg parts 30.1 and 30.2.

The joint 200 is composed, as shown in FIGS. 9 a and 9 b, of a rotaryelement 400, preferably in the form of a disk, and of a spherical endarea 500 of the doll's leg part 30.1 itself. A diameter d₅ of the rotaryelement 400 corresponds to a diameter d₆ of the spherical end area 500of the doll's leg part 30.1, so that outer faces 410, 510 of the rotaryelement 400 and of the spherical end area 500 lie almost in one plane inthe position of use and rest flush on one another.

The rotary element 400 is also assigned a holding element 420, which isassigned a guide 430, which is concavely shaped at one end in order tobe able to guide a part of the spherical end area 500 of the doll's legpart 30.1 in the position of use.

As is shown in FIG. 10, the holding element 420 and the guide 430 arepreferably formed in one piece with the rotary element 400. However, asis shown in FIG. 11, they can also be connected via a connection element440 to the rotary element 400 and can thus be formed in two pieces. Therotary element 400 is preferably rotatable in a free and endless manner.

In the position of use, the holding element 420 and the guide 430 areinserted into a correspondingly shaped recess 450 in the doll's leg part30.2, and a constriction 460 of the recess 450 engages behind theholding element 420 and secures this in the recess 450.

In the illustrative embodiment according to FIG. 10, the recess 450 andthe constriction 460 lie around the holding element 420 in such a waythat a rotation of the holding element 420 is still possible in therecess 450.

In the illustrative embodiment according to FIG. 11, the recess 450 andthe constriction 460 are injected solidly around the holding element420, so that a rotation of the holding element 420 is no longerpossible. Only the rotary element 400 is still rotatable via theconnection element 440.

For assembling the joint 200, the rotary element 400 is inserted into acorrespondingly shaped slit 540 of the spherical end area 500 of thedoll's leg part 30.1. The concave part of the guide 430 rests on a partof the outer face 510 of the spherical end area 500 of the doll's legpart 30.1.

Both elements are secured to one another by a securing means 210, whichis preferably a screw with an associated nut. For this purpose, bores15.5 and 15.6 for receiving the screw 210 with nut are provided both inthe spherical end area 500 of the doll's leg part 30.1 and also in therotary element 400.

The way in which the present illustrative embodiment functions is asfollows:

After insertion of the rotary element 400 and the holding element 420into the recess 450 in the doll's leg part 30.2, the spherical end area500 of the doll's leg part 30.1 is pushed onto the rotary element 400,so that the rotary element 400 can move into the slit 540 provided forit in the spherical end area 500. The screw 210 is then introduced intothe bores 15.5 and 15.6 provided for it in the rotary element 400 andspherical end area 500 of the doll's leg part 30.1. The nut isintroduced from the other side and comes into engagement with the screw210. The doll's leg part 30.1 or its spherical end area 500 is thusconnected fixedly to the rotary element 400, which is in turn secured bymeans of the holding element 420 in the doll's leg part 30.2.

The illustrative embodiment of the joint 200 permits movement of thedoll's leg part 30.2 in a wide variety of directions. For example, as isshown in FIG. 7, the doll's leg part 30.2 can be moved or pivoted up ordown in the direction of the arrows 220 and 230, corresponding to arotation of the doll's leg part 30.2 about an axis F in FIG. 8. However,it can also be moved at the same time about an axis G.

1. A joint for securing movable elements (3.1, 3.2) to a doll's body (1)and/or for connecting individual elements (3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 30.1, 30.2),in particular doll's arm parts and/or doll's leg parts, to one another,comprising a rotary element (4, 40, 400) is inserted rotatably in thedoll's body (1) and/or in the individual elements and is rotatablyconnected to an end area (5, 500) of the individual elements (3.1, 3.2,30.1) or to an element (50) inserted therein.
 2. The joint as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the rotary element (4, 40, 400) is in the shape of adisk.
 3. The joint as claimed in claim 1, wherein the end area (5) ofthe individual elements (3.1, 3.2), has a spherical shape.
 4. The jointas claimed in claim 1, wherein the element (50) inserted into theindividual elements (3.1), has a spherical shape.
 5. (canceled)
 6. Thejoint as claimed in claim 3, wherein the rotary element (4, 400) isinserted into a slit (13, 540) in the spherical end area (5, 500). 7.The joint as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rotary element (40) isinserted into a slit (54) of the spherical element (50).
 8. The joint asclaimed in claim 3, wherein a diameter (d₁, d₅) of the rotary element(4, 400) corresponds approximately to a diameter (d₂, d₆) of thespherical end area (5, 500).
 9. The joint as claimed in claim 4, whereina diameter (d₃) of the rotary element (40) corresponds approximately toa diameter (d₄) of the spherical element (50).
 10. The joint as claimedin claim 3, wherein outer faces (6, 410, 7, 510) of the rotary element(4, 400) and of the spherical end area (5, 500) lie externally in acommon plane and are flush with one another.
 11. The joint as claimed inclaim 4, wherein outer faces (41, 51) of the rotary element (40) and ofthe spherical element (50) lie externally in a common plane and flushwith one another.
 12. The joint as claimed in claim 3, wherein therotary element (4, 400) and the spherical end area (5, 500) each have abore (15.1, 15.2, 15.5, 15.6) for receiving at least one securing means(14, 210).
 13. The joint as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rotaryelement (40) and the spherical element (50) each have a bore (15.3,15.4) for receiving at least one securing means (21).
 14. The joint asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the rotary element (4, 40, 400) is assigneda holding element (8, 42, 420).
 15. The joint as claimed in claim 1,wherein the spherical element (50) is assigned a holding element (52).16. The joint as claimed in claim 14, wherein the holding element (8,42, 420) is connected to the rotary element (4, 40, 400) in a permanentor releasable manner.
 17. The joint as claimed in one of claims 14 and15, wherein the holding element (8) and the rotary element (4) areconnected permanently to one another to form an individual component andare able to rotate about an axis (A), the holding element (8) beinginserted into a recess (10) of the doll's body (1).
 18. The joint asclaimed in one of claims 14 and 15, wherein the holding element (42,420) and the rotary element (40, 400) are connected permanently to oneanother to form a single component and are able to rotate about an axis(E, G), the holding element (42, 420) being inserted into a recess (45,450) of the element (3.3, 30.2).
 19. The joint as claimed in claim 17,wherein only the rotary element (4) is able to rotate about an axis (A),the holding element (8) being inserted fixedly in the recess (10) of thedoll's body (1).
 20. The joint as claimed in claim 18, wherein only therotary element (40, 400) is able to rotate about an axis (E, G), theholding element (42, 420) being inserted fixedly in the recess (45, 450)of the element (3.3, 30.2).
 21. The joint as claimed in claim 19,wherein the spherical element (50) is able to rotate about an axis (D),the holding element (52) being inserted into a recess (55) of theindividual element (3.1).
 22. The joint as claimed in claim 17, whereina constriction (12, 46, 56, 460) of the recess (10, 45, 55, 450) engagesat least partially behind the holding element (8, 42, 52, 420) andsecures it there.
 23. The joint as claimed in claim 19, wherein theindividual element (3.1, 3.2) is rotatable about the axis (A).
 24. Thejoint as claimed in claim 17, wherein the individual element (3.1, 3.2)is pivotable about an axis (C), the axes (A, C) being arrangedapproximately perpendicular to one another.
 25. The joint as claimed inclaim 21, wherein the individual element (3.3) is rotatable about anaxis (D).
 26. The joint as claimed in claim 20, wherein the individualelement (3.3) is rotatable about an axis (E).
 27. The joint as claimedin claim 26, wherein the individual element (3.3) is pivotable about anaxis (B), the axes (D, E) and the axis (B) being arranged approximatelyperpendicular to one another.
 28. The joint as claimed in claim 20,wherein the element (30.2) is rotatable about an axis (G).
 29. The jointas claimed in claim 28, wherein the element (30.2) is pivotable about anaxis (F), the axes (G, F) being arranged approximately perpendicular toone another.
 30. The joint as claimed in claim 16, wherein a guide (9,430) is provided between the holding element (8, 400) and the rotaryelement (4, 400), the guide (9, 430) at least partially guiding the endarea (5, 500) of the individual element (3.1, 3.2, 30.1).
 31. The jointas claimed in claim 14, wherein a guide (43) is provided between theholding element (42) and the rotary element (40), the guide (43) atleast partially guiding the end area (50) of the element (3.3).
 32. Thejoint as claimed in claim 15, wherein a guide (53) is provided betweenthe holding element (52) and the spherical element (50), the guide (53)at least partially guiding the rotary element (40).
 33. The joint asclaimed in one of claims 30 through 32, wherein the guide (9, 43, 53,430) at one end is shaped at least partially as a concave recess.